Sample containers for analysis apparatus



Nov. 7, 1967 Filed Dec. 29, 1964 J. ISREELI SAMPLE CONTAINERS FOR ANALYSIS APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z (m 1 g Q 1 2O 8 INVENTOR. 5 JA K @9550 Nov. 7, 1967 J. ISREELI SAMPLE CONTAINERS FOR ANALYSIS APPARATUS Filed Dec. 29, 1964 3 Sheets -Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY +6. @B 59 Nov. 7, 1967 J. ISREELI 3,350,946

SAMPLE CONTAINERS FOR ANALYSIS APPARATUS Filed Dec. 29. 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

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United States Patent 3,350,946 SAMPLE CONTAINERS FOR ANALYSIS APPARATUS Jack Isreeli, Mamaroneck, N.Y., assignor to Technicon Instruments Corporation, Chauncey, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 421,816 7 Claims. (Cl. 73-423) This invention relates to sample receptacles or vials for automatic analysis apparatus, and particularly to sample receptacles carrying automatic identification means.

In .accordance with one of the objects of the present invention, there is provided a sampler assembly which comprises a rotary support and a plurality of sample receptacles mounted on support which is rotatable about a vertical axis, the sample receptacles being provided with identification means and being arranged on the support with the identification means of each receptacle disposed partly between adjacent receptacles and partly laterally beyond the adjacent receptacles to a position to be read by a read-out means.

In accordance with another object of the invention, the read-out means is positioned inwardly of the rotary support in position to read at least a portion of the identification means of each receptacle-when it is moved to a predetermined position by the rotation of said support.

In accordance with another object and feature of the invention, the identification means of each receptacle is secured to a companion boss which engages a part on the rotary support for vertically positioning the top of each receptacle in the same horizontal plane as the top of the other receptacles on which a cover for the receptacles is positioned.

In the US. patent application S.N. 391,093, of Jack Isreeli, filed Aug. 21, 1964, there is disclosed an automatic analysis system wherein a plurality of sample receptacles, each containing a unique sample and bearing unique identification indicia, are-sequentially processed, the sample from each receptacle being ofi taken and analyzed and the results of the analysis being recorded, while the identification indicia from each receptacle is read out and recorded in correlation with the results of the analysis of the respective sample. In that application the receptacles are supported on a chain type of conveyor and the readout device is mounted at the outer side of the conveyor, While in the present apparatus the support for the receptacles is a rotary support and assembly as a whole is more compact than in said chain type of conveyor.

A feature of this invention is the provision of a tubular receptacle having an open upper end, and a boss secured to the exterior of said receptacle having a reference surface disposed a predetermined distance from the uppermost extremity of said upper end.

' These and other objects, features and advantages will become apparent by reference to the following description of the invention considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which;

ing the boss to the receptacle;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional end view of the jig of FIG. .6, taken along the plane 7-7 FIG. 8 is a perspective view in elevation of a plurality of sample receptacles mounted in a sampler;

FIG. 9 is a view in plan of a portion of a sampler, with plurality of sampler receptacles, a sample off-take mechanism and an identification number readout mechanism;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view in plan of a mounting fixture of the sampler of FIG. 8 taken along plane 10 10;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view in elevation of a receptacle and mounting fixture taken along plane 1111;

FIG. 12 is a detail of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the readout mechanism of FIG. 9 reading out the identification number from a sample receptacle.

The sample receptacle 10 comprises a vial 12 having a boss 14 mounted to its exterior surface by a suitable adhesive. The boss 14 has a card-like member 16 mounted thereto by suitable means, such as adhesive, or as here shown, by rivet-like projections 18 passing through respective holes 20 in the member 16. The rear surface 22 of the boss 16 which engages the vial 12 is concave, while the front surface 24 which engages the card-like member 16 is fiat, except for the rivet-like projections 18 extend ing therefrom, and two T shaped projections 26. Each T shaped projection 26 has a forwardly extending shank 'of, or lands, forms a combinational code, uniquely identifying the sample receptacle, as disclosed in S.-N. 391,093, supra. The vial may be made of glass, and the boss and card-like member may be made of plastic.

The vials are customarily cut to length by automatically filling a peripheral groove therein, and snapping ofi the surplusage. This operation is performed at high speed and results frequently in two inaccuracies as shown in FIG. 2: 1) the total length X of the vial is variable, and ('2) the angle Y of the plane of the opening with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vial varies from the perpendicular. The vials are disposed in a sampler similar to that shown in U.S. 3,038,340, granted to Jack Isreeli on June 12, 1962. The present sampler 36 includes a disc 38 which is journaled to a base 39 for rotation in a horizontal plane. A plurality of upstanding mounting fixtures 40 are secured, as by screws 42, to the periphery of the disc. Each of these mounting fixtures will support one sample receptacle 10. An off-take assembly 44 is mounted to the base and has an off-take tube 46 which is journaled for movement into and out of each sample receptacle as such receptacle is presented to the assembly by the rot-ation of the disc 38 by suitable means, shown in U.S. 3,038,340. Fixed above the tops of the sample receptacles is a disc 48 which serves to close the tops of all the receptacles 10 except that receptacle which is presented to the off-take assembly 44. A notch 50 is provided in the disc 48 to permit the off-take tube to enter that receptacle 10 presented thereto. It is desirable that the tops of the receptacles be as fully closed by the disc 48 as possible. This function is provided by the boss 14 and the fixture 40.

The fixture 40 has a slot 52 of inverse T shape formed into its rear face 54 to receive and interlock with the T shaped projections 26. The top of a stud 56 is spaced a predetermined distance from the underside of the disc 48. When a receptacle 10 is mounted onto a fixture 40 the stud 56.

The boss 14 is afiixed to the vial 12 by means of a jig, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The jig comprises a base 60 having a V shaped groove 62 thereon to receive a vial 12. An upstanding plate 64 closes one end of the groove 62, and is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the groove 62. The vial 12 is disposed in the groove with its open end abutting the plate 64. A second plate 66 is fixed to a pair of brackets 68 which is pivotally mounted to the base at 70, and may be swung from a horizontal position which is clear of the vial, to an upstanding position wherein the brackets straddle the vial and the inner spacing between the brackets 64 and 66 is equal to the distance X. The second plate 66 also has a guide plate 72 fixed thereto and extending towards the plate 64 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the groove 62. The vial 12 is disposed in the groove 62 with its open end in abutment with the plate 64. The plate 66 is then swung to the upstanding position. The surfaces of the vial and the base which are to be interengaged are coated with a suitable adhesive. The preassemblc-d base 14 and card-like member 16 assembly is disposed on the vial with the lower end 58 of the boss abutting the plate 66 and the side of the boss abutting the guide plate 72. The bracket 66 may be swung down to permit the removal of the vial, boss and card-like member assembly, or sample receptacle 10.

When the sample receptacle is atfixed on its mounting fixture the stud 56 engages the boss surface 58 and supports the vial so that its open upper end is immediately below the undersurface of the disc 46, as shown in FIG. 11, minimizing the evaporation of volatile material from the vial. The sides 74 and 76 of the fixture 40 are also concave. The side 74 is adapted to abut and support the exterior of the next adjacent vial, and is made concentric and coradial therewith. The side 76 is adapted to mate with the periphery of the sampler disc 38, and is made concentric and coradial therewith.

A readout assembly 78 is mounted within the sampler 'under the cover disc 48 at a fixed position by a radial hanger 80. The readout assembly is shown in S.N. 391,093, supra. Briefly described, this assembly comprises a plurality of parallel, resilient, feeler-wires 82 disposed in a plane by support blocks, and a common-bus 84 having a bent margin contact 86. The assembly is pivotable, as by a cam 88, to engage the feeler-wires 82 with the edge of the card-like member 16. Those wires which are adjacent notches 34 enter into these notches; while those wires which are adjacent lands are deflected into contact with the bent margin contact 86 of the common-bus 84. This bus is now energized, and the potentials on the feeler-wires are indicative of the combinational code notched onto the member 16. The identification number of the particular sample receptacle is recorded in correlation with the results of the analysis performed on the sample off-taken from that particular receptacle.'Since the analytic procedure for a given sample customarily requires a given period of several minutes, the readout assembly will be positioned to read out the identification number the given period subsequent to the off-taking of the sample.

It will be appreciated that the accurate location by the stud 56 of the sample receptacle also accurately 1ocates the card-like member 16 and its notches 34 with respect to the readout assembly 78.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and that certain changes in the form and arrangement of parts and in the specific manner or practicing the invention may be made without departing from the underlying idea or principles of this invention within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tubular, elongated receptacle having a central axis and an open upper end and a closed lower end; and

a boss fixed on the exterior of said receptacle having fixed thereto a card-like member elongated in a direction parallel to said central axis and extending laterally substantially tangentially from said receptacle with a distal marginal portion bearing an indicium, and a reference undersurface disposed a predetermined distance from the uppermost extremity of said upper end of said receptacle and a predetermined distance from said indicium.

2. A sampler assembly comprising: a sample receptacle support member; a sample receptacle cover member disposed a predetermined distance above said support member; an indicium readout assembly disposed at a predetermined spacing between said members; a plurality of tubular, elongated receptacles each having a central axis and an open upper end and a closed lower end, and a boss fixed 0n the exterior of said receptacle having fixed thereto a card-like member elongated in a direction parallel to said central axis and extending laterally substantially tangentially from said receptacle with a distal marginal portion bearing an indicium, and a reference undersurface disposed a predetermined distance from the uppermost extremity of said upper end of said receptacle and a predetermined distance from said indicium; and a plurality of mounting fixtures provided on said support member, each for upstandingly supporting a respective said receptacle, having a reference uppersurface for engaging said receptacle reference undersurface, and thereby disposing said uppermost extremity of said upper end of said receptacle into a predetermined relationship with said cover member, and said indicium into a predetermined relationship with said readout assembly.

3. A sampler assembly comprising: a sample receptacle support member; a sample receptacle cover member disposed a predetermined distance above said support memher, an indicium readout assembly disposed at a predetermined spacing between said members; a plurality of tubular, elongated receptacles each having a central axis and an open upper end and a closed lower end, and a boss fixed on the exterior of said receptacle having fixed thereto a card-like member elongated in a direction parallel to said central axis and extending laterally substantially tangentially from said receptacle with a distal marginal portion bearing an indicium, and a reference undersurface disposed a predetermined distance from the uppermost extremity of said upper end of said receptacle and a predetermined distance from said indicium; a plurality of mounting fixtures provided on said support member, each for upstandingly supporting a respective said receptacle, having a reference uppersurface for engaging said receptacle reference undersurface, and thereby disposing said uppermost extremity of said upper end of said receptacle into a predetermined relationship with said cover member, and said indicium into a predetermined relationship with said readout assembly; and a sample off-take assembly; said support member being movable to present each receptacle seriatim to said off-take assembly, and to present each receptacle seriatim to said readout assembly.

4. A sampler assembly comprising: a sample receptacle support member; a sample receptacle cover member disposed a predetermined'distance above said support member; an indicium readout assembly disposed at a predetermined spacing between said members; a plurality of tubular receptacles each having an open upper end and a closed lower end, and a boss provided on the exterior of said receptacle having a card-like member extending laterally therefrom with a distal marginal portion bearing an indicium, and a reference undersurface disposed a predetermined distance from the uppermost extremity of said upper end of said receptacle and a predetermined distance from said indicium; a plurality of mounting fixtures provided on said support member, each for upstandingly supporting a receptacle, having a reference uppersurface for engaging said receptacle reference undersurface, and thereby disposing said uppermost extremity of said upper end of said receptacle into a predetermined relationship with said cover member, and said indicium into a predetermined relationship with said readout assembly; each said boss also having a T shaped projection and each said fixture having a T shaped recess to receive a mating projection.

5. A sampler assembly comprising: a sample receptacle support member; a sample receptacle cover member disposed a predetermined distance above said support memher; and indicium readout assembly disposed at a predetermined spacing between said members; a plurality of tubular, elongated receptacles each having a central axis and an open upper end and a closed lower end, and a boss fixed on the exterior of said receptacle having fixed thereto a card-like member elongated in a direction parallel to said central axis and extending laterally substantially tangentially from said receptacle with a distal marginal portion bearing an indicium, and a reference undersurface disposed a predetermined distance from the uppermost extremity of said upper end of said receptacle and a predetermined distance from said indicium; a plurality of mounting fixtures provided on said support member, each for upstandingly supporting a respective said receptacle, having a reference uppersurface for engaging said receptacle reference undersurface, and thereby disposing said uppermost extremity of said upper end of said receptacle into a predetermined relationship with said cover member, and said indicium into a predetermined relationship with said readout assembly; each said fixture also having a surface abutting and aligning a next adjacent receptacle.

6. A sampler assembly comprising a rotary support, a plurality of sample receptacles on said support, said receptacles being provided with identification means and arranged on said support with said identification means of each receptacle disposed partly between adjacent receptacles and partly laterally beyond the adjacent receptacles to a position to be read by a read-out means, wherein said identification means of each receptacle is secured to a companion boss from which said projection means projects outwardly beyond said identification means.

7. A sampler assembly comprising a rotary support, a plurality of sample receptacles on said support, said receptacles being provided with identification means and arranged on said support with said identification means of each receptacle disposed partly between adjacent receptacles and partly laterally beyond the adjacent receptacles to a position to be read by a read-out means, wherein said identification means of each receptacle is secured to a companion boss from which said projection means projects outwardly beyond said identification means, and in that said boss engages a part on the support for vertically positioning the top of each receptacle in the same horizontal plane as the tops of the other receptacles on the support at which a cover is positioned.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,746,679 5/1956 Stratton et al 235-91.l4 3,038,340 6/1962 Isreeli 73423 3,107,536 10/1963 Ferrari 73-423 3,266,298 8/1966 Whitehead 73--423 DAVID SCHONBERG, Primary Examiner. LOUIS PRINCE, Examiner.

S. C. SWISHER, Assistant Examiner. 

7. A SAMPLER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A ROTARY SUPPORT, A PLURALITY OF SAMPLE RECEPTACLES ON SAID SUPPORT, SAID RECEPTACLES BEING PROVIDED WITH IDENTIFICATION MEANS AND ARRANGED ON SAID SUPPORT WITH SAID IDENTIFICATION MEANS OF EACH RECEPTACLE DISPOSED PARTLY BETWEEN ADJACENT RECEPTACLES AND PARTLY LATERALLY BEYOND THE ADJACENT RECEPTACLES TO A POSITION TO BE READ BY A READ-OUT MEANS, WHEREIN SAID IDENTIFICATION MEANS OF EACH RECEPTACLE IS SECURED TO A COMPANION BOSS FROM WHICH SAID PROJECTION MEANS PROJECTS OUTWARDLY BEYOND SAID IDENTIFICATION MEANS, AND IN THAT SAID BOSS ENGAGES A PART ON THE SUPPORT FOR VERTICALLY POSITIONING THE TOP OF EACH RECEPTACLE IN THE SAME HORI- 